When to replace old gear?

[CT-Rich]

Yes, on thousands of dives, I have had an LP and even an HP hose failure, always during the initial pressurization -- never while underwater; no seal or major regulator failures that I can recall. What those few incidences meant to me, was a bit of harsh language while onboard and five minutes to replace said hoses from the spares from my field kit. No aborted dives were resultant; never a BC failure of any kind, with a conventional inflator.

For failures of an integrated octopus / oral inflator; and I was around for a few, over the years, it poses a potential end to two devices (three, if you decide to include the BC), right out of the door; and few people that I know, outside of the trades, routinely carry extras -- and I know of no one who dives commercially who will use them . . .

I don’t think anyone says a dive professional would use one of these, but for no-deco recreational depths, they are perfectly safe. Yes, if the hose has a catastrophic failure you would lose your power inflator and alternate air source (I am skeptical about the BCD would also be put out of action). But that would be true for any LP hose failure. The tank is going to bleed out in a minute or two regardless. A conventional alternate air source/LP inflator has more potential failure points than than an Air2 (2 hoses, two ports, two fittings).

The one time I thought I had a problem with the Air2, it turned out to be a problem with my first stage. I didn’t realize it until after the Air2 continued to leak after having it was serviced. My regular 2nd stage wasn’t showing the problem because I could tune it down until it stopped bleeding air.

I like that I am reducing the number of hoses and the number of failure points. I also understand that it would not be suitable for deep mixed gas, caves or wreck diving and it does not match well with most tech diving philosophies. A bright spot is that I am not using it for any of those things.

Having the DIR or GUE divers tell me an Air2 does not work with their diving philosophy is totally fine, saying it is unsafe or that I am going to die using it will require actual evidence.

 

[AfterDark]

I don’t think anyone says a dive professional would use one of these, but for no-deco recreational depths, they are perfectly safe. Yes, if the hose has a catastrophic failure you would lose your power inflator and alternate air source (I am skeptical about the BCD would also be put out of action). But that would be true for any LP hose failure. The tank is going to bleed out in a minute or two regardless. A conventional alternate air source/LP inflator has more potential failure points than than an Air2 (2 hoses, two ports, two fittings).

The one time I thought I had a problem with the Air2, it turned out to be a problem with my first stage. I didn’t realize it until after the Air2 continued to leak after having it was serviced. My regular 2nd stage wasn’t showing the problem because I could tune it down until it stopped bleeding air.

I like that I am reducing the number of hoses and the number of failure points. I also understand that it would not be suitable for deep mixed gas, caves or wreck diving and it does not match well with most tech diving philosophies. A bright spot is that I am not using it for any of those things.

Having the DIR or GUE divers tell me an Air2 does not work with their diving philosophy is totally fine, saying it is unsafe or that I am going to die using it will require actual evidence.

Everyone that uses one will die.………….. eventually. Welcome to SB's kangaroo court of evidence.

 

[mcohen1021]

It was purchased new 16 years ago and I have over 252 dives on it

Sound to me its just past the break in period. I replaced my 1st set of gear when it turned 25. I'm still on my original reg - the bullet proof Conshelf SE2 vintage 1990

 

[JackD342]

@ScubaGui
If your weight pocket handles look like this, the recall/revision needs to be done:
(no charge, takes a few minutes if the replacement handles are in stock at your LDS)

If they look like this, then all is well:

 

[ScubaGui]

@ScubaGui
If your weight pocket handles look like this, the recall/revision needs to be done:
(no charge, takes a few minutes if the replacement handles are in stock at your LDS)
View attachment 559810

If they look like this, then all is well:
View attachment 559811

Thanks for the pictures! I have neither. They are just plain velcro flaps that fold over the pocket - which wasn't the most well thought out design. The velcro has worn to the point that my weights sometimes slip out (so I'm using a belt currently). I've already jerryrigged a replacement once before. The clip was a much better idea.

 

[DiveProKoko]

Just chiming in regarding the octo/inflator combo issue.... I just returned from Bonaire where I had my Aqua Lung Airsource malfunction TWICE in two days.......with about 10 dives on it. The whole point was to streamline my travel kit so I bought an Aqua Lung Outlaw BCD running an AL Mikron reg, a Suunto airpod (Suunto Eon Core) and the Airsource. So yeah, basically one long hose and an inflator hose. Super slick set up.....until I tapped the inflator for a smig of air to get neutral and the Airsource started free flowing at 50 feet and I couldn't get it to stop inflating. I held the air dump down to avoid a rapid ascent until I could disconnect the hose and surface normally. I obviously scratched the dive since that was my octo as well. Took it right to a dive shop to have them look at it. They replaced the parts inside which control the inflator button (?) and got it working properly. Tested it at the shop and it seemed good to go. Two dives later, same thing.....at night....on an Ostracod dive in total darkness. Luckily we were pretty shallow, I pulled the hose again and finished the dive, manually inflating the BCD as needed. The next morning I bought a regular inflator and an Aqua Lung Legend Octo. The rest of the trip was awesome. Everything worked great and the the new stuff made me feel good about my kit so no more worries. I'm sure you will all make the best decision for yourselves. I may have just got a dud, but I think I'm done with the combo systems. Wanted you to have the info in case you can use it.

 

[Lostdiver71]

Just chiming in regarding the octo/inflator combo issue.... I just returned from Bonaire where I had my Aqua Lung Airsource malfunction TWICE in two days.......with about 10 dives on it. The whole point was to streamline my travel kit so I bought an Aqua Lung Outlaw BCD running an AL Mikron reg, a Suunto airpod (Suunto Eon Core) and the Airsource. So yeah, basically one long hose and an inflator hose. Super slick set up.....until I tapped the inflator for a smig of air to get neutral and the Airsource started free flowing at 50 feet and I couldn't get it to stop inflating. I held the air dump down to avoid a rapid ascent until I could disconnect the hose and surface normally. I obviously scratched the dive since that was my octo as well. Took it right to a dive shop to have them look at it. They replaced the parts inside which control the inflator button (?) and got it working properly. Tested it at the shop and it seemed good to go. Two dives later, same thing.....at night....on an Ostracod dive in total darkness. Luckily we were pretty shallow, I pulled the hose again and finished the dive, manually inflating the BCD as needed. The next morning I bought a regular inflator and an Aqua Lung Legend Octo. The rest of the trip was awesome. Everything worked great and the the new stuff made me feel good about my kit so no more worries. I'm sure you will all make the best decision for yourselves. I may have just got a dud, but I think I'm done with the combo systems. Wanted you to have the info in case you can use it.

I have had a regular inflator do the same thing, did you possibly get sand in it?

 

[DiveProKoko]

I have had a regular inflator do the same thing, did you possibly get sand in it?

I suppose it's possible. We're pretty good rinsers though! Haha! Kind of obsessive about taking care of our stuff, although I'm sure the possibility is there for sand doing that. I did ask the tech when he tried to fix it if there was "something in there causing it" and he indicated it was clean. I'm also coming from the context that I have never had a "standard" inflator do that, nor have I known anyone personally who has had that happen with a standard inflator. Things happen with gear all the time, but for me the "coincidence" that it happened twice with a new piece of kit with less than 10 dives on it was enough for me to go with what I know, which is back to the standard setup. As a cop and a former military guy (paratrooper, etc) my mantra has always been, "Trust your equipment." It's kept me alive for over 30 years between the two careers. I no longer trust the 2 in 1, so it's just not for me, I guess.

 

[lexvil]

I’ve seen AL air source do this on many occasions, I believe it’s because the tolerances are so tight on the buttons.